I feel about "accidental" shootings like I do about hunting "accidents". I think anyone carrying a firearm, whether hunting or just carrying, has to be ready to take FULL responsibility for his firearm.

I believe that if an innocent person is injured unintentionally by a bullet discharged by your firearm, whether in your possession or voluntarily handed to another person needs to be prosocuted. OK, it was an accident but there needs to be serious legal repercussions. As I've posted before in relation to hunting accidents I'll say with relation to any negligent discharge that causes an innocents injury: If a gun owner is not confident that he can handle a firearm without unintentionally injuring another, don't handle a gun.

To put it another way, why should it matter if someone meant to shoot an innocent person or did it accidentally? The damage was done and that person needs to be punished. Should the punishment be the same, I don't believe so but "not charged" or a slap on the wrist should not be result either.

What I believe is that the requirement for possessing and carrying a firearm in this country by an adult citizen should be that the citizen must understand the dangers and responsibilities of carrying and the consequences of not using proper caution and prudence.